This application claims the benefit of a Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-112013 filed Apr. 13, 2000, in the Japanese Patent Office, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to question answering systems and storage media, and more particularly to a question answering system suited for an Internet Web server and to a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer realize a question answering system.
Recently, various kinds of services are being provided using the Web. Some services which are provided require a question answering system to cope with questions and answers for trouble-shooting, Web Based Training (WBT) and the like for personal computers, for example. Normally, such a question answering system has a database system called a Frequent Asked Question (FAQ) database. A question from a questioner is first searched in the FAQ database, and the question is stored in the FAQ database if no corresponding data exists in the FAQ database. At the same time, the question is notified to a solver, and an answer to the question is notified to the questioner from the solver via an e-mail or a Web page.
2. Description of the Related Art
Normally, in order to constantly and quickly cope with a question in such a question answering system, a solver must constantly be on standby so that it is possible to accept the question, and the cost for operating the question answering system is high. Particularly when providing the services of the question answering system over the Internet, it is necessary to accept questions 24 hours a day, and it is a considerable burden on the operator who must bear the cost of having one solver on standby 24 hours a day with respect to each expert field. But if the number of solvers is reduced to reduce the operating cost of the question answering system, particularly the personnel expenses, the quality of the question answering system becomes poor.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful question answering system and computer-readable storage medium, in which the problems described above are eliminated.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system and a computer-readable storage medium, which can suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system comprising first storing means for storing question information together with first time information, second storing means for storing answer information with respect to the question information together with solver information and second time information, and evaluating means for evaluating a solver indicated by the solver information based on the first and second time information. According to the question answering system of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system comprising first registering means for registering question information, transmitting means for transmitting to a questioner an answer provided by a solver with respect to the registered question information, second registering means for registering an evaluation of the answer made by the questioner, and evaluating means for evaluating the solver based on the registered evaluation made by the questioner. According to the question answering system of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system comprising storing means for storing questions and corresponding answers, counting means for counting a number of times a reference is made to each of the stored answers, and evaluating means for obtaining a sum total of the number of times the reference is made to the stored answers for each of solvers who provided the answers, and evaluating each of the solvers based on the sum total. According to the question answering system of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system comprising registering means for registering answers with respect to questions, evaluating means for evaluating each of solvers who provided the answers based on a predetermined calculation formula, and determining means for determining an incentive with respect to each of the solvers depending on evaluation results obtained by the evaluating means. According to the question answering system of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to operate as a question answering system, wherein the program comprises first storing means for causing the computer to store question information together with first time information, second storing means for causing the computer to store answer information with respect to the question information together with solver information and second time information, and evaluating means for causing the computer to evaluate a solver indicated by the solver information based on the first and second time information. According to the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to operate as a question answering system, wherein the program comprises first registering means for causing the computer to register question information, transmitting means for causing the computer to transmit to a questioner an answer provided by a solver with respect to the registered question information, second registering means for causing the computer to register an evaluation of the answer made by the questioner, and evaluating means for causing the computer to evaluate the solver based on the registered evaluation made by the questioner. According to the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to operate as a question answering system, wherein the program comprises storing means for causing the computer to store questions and corresponding answers, counting means for causing the computer to count a number of times a reference is made to each of the stored answers, and evaluating means for causing the computer to obtain a sum total of the number of times the reference is made to the stored answers for each of solvers who provided the answers, and evaluate each of the solvers based on the sum total. According to the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to operate as a question answering system, wherein the program comprises registering means for causing the computer to register answers with respect to questions, evaluating means for causing the computer to evaluate each of solvers who provided the answers based on a predetermined calculation formula, and determining means for causing the computer to determine an incentive with respect to each of the solvers depending on evaluation results obtained by the evaluating means. According to the computer-readable storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the personnel expenses of having the solvers for answering the questions, and also improve the quality of the question answering system.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.